Shepperton Div 1/2 2009 - Double Event - 7/8 March

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:24 am

Received Today....

Official cards (thanks): Alison Longhurst, Susan Templeton, Alison & Martin Setchell, Samantha Owen, Ruth & Rob Holdway, Chris Wood.

Late Entries: Mark Preddy (one day only?), sam Morris, Poppy Freeman, William Flanagan (one day only), Philip Dean, Neil Setford-thompson, Jamie Lewis

Last chance to post today

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:00 pm

Received today

Official cards (thanks): William Hanham, Chloe Medland

Late Entries: Mark Preddy (2nd day), George Durden, Tani Hargreaves, Rob Rooks, Chris Hull

RANKING ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 11:55 pm

I have been forced to bring forward the start times in order to finish in the daylight! Times are now.

Sat - 9:45 official practice, 11 first runs
Sun - 9:00 official practice, 10.15 first runs

Please note that
No more ranking entries will be accepted.
I will accept judges entries up to 9am on Saturday but would appreciate an email entry in advance.

Thanks

80-1219672301 · Post by **80-1219672301** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 1:53 pm

Hi

Can anyone tell me (as a matter of urgency) how you get hold of Thames River License? We're leaving to drive to Shepperton tomorrow - eeek (we stay in the Highlands of Scotland) and have only just discovered we need this licence - have rung BCU but they haver't got back to me yet. The application proces on the Thames Environmetn agencies website doesn;t look as if it would work in time??

We've never paddled at Shepperton befpore and only realised we need this when we downloaded the start docs. - Help!

80-1219672301 · Post by **80-1219672301** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:08 pm

OK just heard back from the very helpful person at BCU - all Scottish paddlers take note

(There are quite a few going to Shepperton ) - the BCU licence apparently doesn't cover SCA members.

I've spoken to the folk at the Environment Agency and they say you can buy a river licence from the folk at the lock - GBP 7.00 a day - £14.00 for the weekend(or if you're going back later on in the season its £29.50 for the year) - The lock keeper office or whatever is open 9.15am to 4pm apparently - so mad scramble Saturday morning

Makes usappreciate our right to roam here in Scotland!

Might be an idea to get Nick to stick something up on the course details ?

Carlr · Post by **Carlr** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:20 pm

I have paddled on the Thames weirs for years and never had a licence on my slalom boat.

80-1219672301 · Post by **80-1219672301** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:39 pm

It says very clearly in the start docs that all boats must display a Thames River License

Just trying to do as asked

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:43 pm

I must admit that I don't think I've ever seen one displayed at the slalom, so you may decide to take the risk. No-one has ever been "done" before as far as I know, but that doesn't mean that they won't clamp down one day!

davebrads · Post by **davebrads** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:05 pm

In the days before the BCU membership included the licence to paddle on the Thames we had to buy a licence on the day of the race - it was a lot cheaper then though. I think that in the first couple of years after the BCU membership covered the Thames, organisers were keen that we stuck the membership number sticker on the boat, if you forgot they had a stock of day licences to sell you. It all seems to have gone by the board now though.

davebrads · Post by **davebrads** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:08 pm

You must be super keen coming down from Scotland. There's been one or two mutterings about it being a bit far from Manchester!

Seedy Paddler · Post by **Seedy Paddler** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 4:02 pm

When we used to travel to Shepperton slaloms (from Aberdeen) in the late 1970s we were issued with boat stickers/permits as part of the entry.

The SCA did not take on the EA license scheme as it has minimal control in Scottish waters (from Memory the only impact was a section of the Caledonian Canal by Inverness).

I would tend to suggest that as in other controlled water sites (Teeside/HPP etc.) the onus for licenses falls to the organiser (sorry Dee!) as it is a site specific requirement and should be included in any pre-event marketing and material with specific details on costs and method of application etc. or covered by an event license/lease agreement.

If it were me and knowing the old situation at Sheperton I would just go down paddle and wait to see if anything/anyone kicked off. Better than evens that you would come back as oblivious to the EA requirement as you went down.

Hope I have your ID right if I wish Amber all the best

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:15 pm

Oh Seedy Paddler, please, please no, no, I can't deal with anything else - never mind going grey (have found two grey hairs in the last week) I'll end up bald through tearing my hair out in frustration.

Actually, I'm not sure I entirely agree with you. I think you could argue that the organiser should check licences but not supply them in this case. Simply because with the majority of the paddlers being in the BCU it is reasonable to assume that most have one, so on that basis we shouldn't need to supply.

I will add it to my list for Post-Event review though and perhaps we can check it out before next year. Don't think I will have time between now and Saturday.

For those interested:

The water levels went from 2 gates + side splills last Saturday to 4 gates + side spills last night. My guess is that it will drop again a bit before the weekend.

As for last year the course for the div 1s has them crossing the main flow three times. However, before the div 2s panic, we will be excluding 2 gates from the course for the div 2s so that they only cross once.

We have just over 140 entries overall (including judges), so my biggest concern is finishing before it gets to dark to judge!

Canadian Paddler · Post by **Canadian Paddler** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 3:05 pm

Dee - I know it is now almost cetrianly too late and I do not want to be difficult, (hard though it is to believe!) but is there a reason for running div 1 C1,C2, men, DIV 2 Women, div 1 women, div 2 men? if the course is going to be different would it not be easier to run all div 1 followed by all div 2?

Just trying to reduce judge confusion and hence possible errors of judging

Good luck this weekend, hope it all goes well and everyone has a great time.

Dave Royle · Post by **Dave Royle** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 6:45 pm

Updated start list on canoeslalom.co.uk

Dee says "Please note earlier start times. No more ranking entries will be accepted and judges entries will close at 9am on Saturday"

Sorry this post will be a bit late for those travelling a long way.

Dee · Post by **Dee** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 8:33 pm

Canadian Paddler,
There was a reason - largely tied up with numbers of Shepperton members in each division and offers to judge. The idea being that the back end of the day can be covered by Shepperton members who have already had a chance to do their competitive runs. There were also a couple of other influencing factors.

Inevitably some of those factors have now changed and we have decided on a reduced course for div 2s, so I could change the order again, but am reluctant to do so at these stage; it would be bound to upset somebody. At least it will introduce variety!

Currently on a good three gates. A certain paddler who is related to me (the nearly bald one) reckons it is a tough course, but then he hasn't paddled all winter and of course age is taking its toll - something I'm sure you can sympathise with!

Still looking for more judges....

??? ???